Comedian and actor Craig Robinson found out just how convincing his own joke could be when his fake announcement about quitting comedy fooled even his own father. Robinson, best known for his role as Darryl Philbin on The Office, revealed during a conversation at Entertainment Weekly’s San Diego Comic-Con Studio that his tongue-in-cheek retirement stunt ended up tricking “everybody,” including family members who took his announcement at face value.
Earlier this summer, Robinson posted what appeared to be a sincere message saying he was stepping away from comedy to pursue something “bigger,” hinting at a career change and a possible small business venture. At the time, many fans were skeptical, partly because Robinson still had comedy shows scheduled, but some close to him didn’t know it was a joke. When asked whether anyone in his personal life fell for the bit, Robinson made it clear the prank was more successful than he expected, recounting how his father called to check on him and he avoided telling him the truth right away.
Robinson eventually revealed the ruse was part of an AT&T marketing campaign, and that he was very much continuing his comedy career. He assured his dad and the public with a playful correction: “I’m not quitting. I’m back! You’re welcome. Yes, Dad, I’m still in comedy.” Robinson said he had maintained the charade for about ten days before coming clean, and had fun with the absurdity of his own “retirement.”
The prank culminated in a commercial for AT&T Business in which Robinson teamed up with his The Office co-stars including Ellie Kemper, Angela Kinsey, Creed Bratton and Oscar Nunez. In the ad, he introduces a fictional product called “CraigAI” (or “CrAIg”), an AI alarm clock aimed at helping small businesses, tying the fake retirement into a humorous marketing concept.
Robinson also appeared at Comic-Con alongside cast members from The Bad Guys 2, promoting the new animated film and talking about the stunt with fellow comedians Marc Maron and Natasha Lyonne. The whole episode gave fans a laugh while reinforcing that, despite the brief moment of confusion, Robinson isn’t going anywhere from the comedy world.
What started as a playful “career shift” announcement became a memorable prank that showed not just how persuasive Robinson can be, but how willing his friends, fans, and even his dad are to buy into his jokes — at least for a little while.
